The trade union Bectu said the lowest salary at the BBC is £16,000 a year - which means no one else at the corporation would be able to earn more than £320,000 a year under a Labour government. Two-thirds of the BBC's highest earners are men.

The listing details a gender pay gap between female and male stars on the BBC - with 25 men earning more than $326,000 per year, compared to nine women, CNBC noted.

The resulting list includes approximate salary ranges for all 96 radio and TV staff making more than $195,000 a year.

Highest paid was Chris Evans, the presenter of Britain's most popular breakfast radio show who also hosted motoring programme "Top Gear" for one series, receiving up to 2.25 million pounds ($2.9 million) in 2016/17.

He added that it was "probably right and proper that people know what we get paid" and said that the publication of the figures today would mark the beginning of pay disparities - such as unequal pay between men and women - being "redressed".

BBC Director General Lord Tony Hall was asked whether he was ashamed of the gender pay gap in a press conference on Wednesday. Of the 14 stars earning over £400,000, just two are women.

"I think it's very important that the lid has been lifted on this pay discrimination in the BBC and that it's been laid bare", she said.

She continued: "To defeat such a claim, the BBC would have to demonstrate that there is an explanation for the difference, which has nothing to do with gender".

There is also a noticeable imbalance in earnings when it comes to race. Mr Evans is the BBC's best-paid presenter with a salary of between £2.2m and £2.25m - while Match of the Day host Gary Lineker earns between £1.75m and £1.8m.

Under the terms of its new charter, the United Kingdom public broadcast powerhouse was compelled to release the names and salaries of its top-line earners, unearthing an global controversy about its glaring wage gaps. As of a year ago, the average salary at the BBC was £43,000, the Telegraph reported. As part of this it should be reflective of the society it broadcasts too.

"The argument as far as I can tell is that people should work for nothing or practically nothing for the privilege of working for the BBC - but this isn't something they apply to themselves".

The public broadcaster has always included executive salaries in its annual report*.

Enders pointed out that this accomplishment might explain the high salaries.

The figures only include what the BBC pays its talent directly. "This is value for money".

This marks the first time the BBC have revealed the earnings of their top employees.

Since the salaries were published, social media has been buzzing with responses, with those criticizing and defending the BBC.

Others were not so pleased with Morgan's antics and came to the BBC's defence.

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